A CONJURER from Cradley Heath has become the entertainer the stars ask for by name.

A CONJURER from Cradley Heath has become the entertainer the stars ask for by name.

Sav The Deceptionist – Ian Saville – made his professional debut while studying Fine Art at Leicester’s De Montfort University, busking on the streets to supplement his grant money.

His flair and natural ability won him funding from the Prince’s Trust to develop his business, and in his twenties he made a pilgrimage to the US to meet the greats of modern magic. Returning home, he moved to London and launch a career that his since gone from strength to strength.

His most recent engagement was at the 40th birthday for the wife of hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, where guests included Geri Haliwell and Liz Hurley.

“My gran used to like the magic on TV and I used to watch with her, and then I just took it on from there,” he recalls. “There was a magic shop in Great Barr and I used to go to a man called Barry Gordon and get bits and pieces from him.

“It’s taken ten years to build up to this, but I do other stuff as well, for trade shows and exhibitions who hire me out to do magic to promote their products and services,” said Sav, whose acts can feature anything from mind reading and card tricks to sleight of hand.

“These days every business is trying to get an edge, and something which I can do is get people onto the stand, it’s a good way of drawing people in, especially as I often use the firm’s product in the trick.”

At a birthday party for Kings of Leon bass player Jared Followill, lead singer Caleb told Sav: “Dude you are going straight to hell doing stuff like that, it’s definitely not normal!”

The US rockers then requested Sav teach them some simple card and bar tricks.

The 34-year-old also performed at Keira Knightley’s 21st party which he said “was pretty cool” and appears every Wednesday at London’s prestigious Lonsdale restaurant in Notting Hill, whose recent guests have inlcuded Frank Lampard and Natalie Imbruglia.